Tag Archives: mysteries

Unsolved historical murders fascinate me. Usually a suspect that is considered the perfect suspect ends up exonerated years later. Or an obviously guilty subject can be let go due to police incompetence with the investigation. I’ve compiled a list of 5 unsolved murders that could be the plot of a horror movie. These have all scared me in the past and the last entry still reminds me to be extremely aware of my surroundings. If there are any you’ve felt I’ve missed that are just as scary, please feel free to comment below.

The Murphy family, Michael not pictured.

The Gatton Murders

Sometime between the night of December 26th and morning of December 27th 1898, Michael Murphy and his two sisters went missing after leaving to attend a dance in nearby Gatton in Queensland, Australia. After the dance was canceled, their mother dispatched her son-in-law to go find them. He was able to easily track their progress as Michael had borrowed his horse drawn cart for the trip, which had a damaged wheel.

He found them on the morning of December 27th, the two women bludgeoned to death. Michael and the horse had both been shot to death. Their bodies were arranged in a triangle with the cart and horse forming two sides, while the bodies were laid next to each other in an East-West orientation. Evidence at the crime scene was destroyed when patrons at a local hotel rushed to the scene of the crime. The murders have not been solved, although family members were placed under investigation.

The Lake Bodom Murders

As a frequent camper, this one hits close to home. On June 5th, 1954, four teenage friends camping on the shores of Lake Bodom in Finland were attacked between the hours of 4 and 6 am. The attacker used a knife and a bludgeon to kill 3 of the teens, and hit the fourth in the face leaving a concussion, swelling, and a broken jaw. Most likely thinking him dead, the killer left the scene.

The lone survivor lived a relatively normal life until the 1990’s when he was arrested on suspicion of committing the killings. The charges were later dropped. The other suspects included an alleged KGB spy, and a drunk farmer who confessed to the crimes and then stated he buried the weapons in his well. The well had indeed been recently filled in. However, he did have a shaky alibi from his wife who said he had never left the house that night, but then admitted he had threatened her on occasion.

Athalia Ponsell Lindsley

On the evening of January 23rd, 1974, former model, actor, and political activist Athalia Ponsell Lindsley was murdered on the front steps of her home in St. Augustine, Florida. She had been attacked with a machete and almost decapitated. The main suspect was her neighbor, Alan Stanford, who had threatened her in the past. One of the neighbors confirmed that Stanford was the one that killed her that night, however he was acquitted due to tainted evidence and police incompetence. The case gets even more interesting shortly afterwards.

Frances Bemis, Lindsley’s friend and neighbor, was a public relations representative and author. She began her own investigation into her friend and neighbor’s death when the police investigation fell through. She was known for her frequent evening walks. One day she mentioned that she had discovered information about the death of Lindsley. Shortly afterwards on November 3rd of 1974, she was found with her skull bashed in with a cement brick. The murder also remains unsolved.

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Copyright Christopher Burcham, 2014-2016

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